MLB insider breathes life into Tigers trade deadline rumor that fans are against

The Tigers need a third baseman, but not many options expected to be available at the trade deadline are ideal. Eugenio Suárez is probably the favorite among Tigers fans — Suárez was a Tiger that they gave away too soon, and now he's 33 and on pace for a 40-homer season — but the likes of Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado are complicated and might be out of the question anyway, if the Red Sox and Cardinals stay in the Wild Card race.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today linked Detroit to a different name that's been floating but hadn't yet been connected to them directly. He wrote on Sunday that "the Yankees, along with the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs, have expressed interest in Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes."

Hayes is under team control through 2029 on an eight-year, $70 million extension. It's not the most lucrative deal, so it would be attractive for a team like the Tigers, who are in a big city and have a loyal fanbase. But Hayes far from the star slugger that fans have been desperate to see come to Detroit for years.

Bob Nightengale linked Tigers to Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes

The biggest draw for Hayes is his defense. He won a Gold Glove in 2023 and is still one of baseball's best defensive players, with an OAA in the 99th percentile this year. But he's also batting .241 with a .585 OPS, which is almost identical to Trey Sweeney's offensive capabilities before he was briefly demoted on June 28. Since the offseason, one of the Tigers' most easily identifiable needs has been a big veteran bat. Hayes wouldn't bring one.

Zach McKinstry has gotten the most reps at third base this season with occasional appearances from Javy Báez and now Colt Keith. While McKinstry has never been the best defensive player at third, his bat is more than making up for it at the moment.

Getting an everyday third baseman would allow the Tigers to free up McKinstry to play anywhere (he's notably gotten at least two innings at every position except catcher), but Hayes brings so little upside at the plate that fans would rather see McKinstry stay put at third.

Suárez should still be the Tigers' big target, even though he'll be one of the belles of the ball at this year's trade deadline. Hayes' defense just isn't enough to make up for the fact that he's looked like an offensive liability for most of his career.